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Organization

7 easy tips for maximizing clothing space in your small closet (no power tools required!)

May 10, 2021

Are you are renting?  Or maybe you just don’t feel comfortable using power tools?  No worries!  There are lots of ways to maximize storage without installing expensive custom closet organizers.  These 7 tips will help add functionality and organization to your closet while making it a breeze to get out the door in the morning.  

This post contains affiliate links.  As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualified purchases.

With small 1960s closets, we are always looking for ways to maximize our storage space and get the most out of our small footprint.  This means that nearly all of our closets are carefully planned out and customized to fit our storage needs. 

However, we haven’t installed custom closets or built our own shelving units.  Far from it!  My husband and I are not the handiest people and consider hanging curtains one of our most challenging DIYs. 

Instead, I like to use a carefully planned mix of freestanding and flexible storage pieces that help us store more in less.  Because these storage pieces aren’t built-in, they are easy to move and switch up as storage needs change.

Keep reading for my 7 best tips and favorite products for maximizing and organizing your closet.

Tip #1 – Take everything out & purge!  

The first step is to take everything out.  And I mean everything!  You need to see what you have before you can even think about organizing or finding storage solutions. 

The way I like to do it is to grab everything from your closet and lay it out on your bed.  Then you can start putting things in piles – shirts, jackets, pants, sweaters, blouses, dresses, etc.  Now you can see exactly how many of each item you have.  Go through each pile and remove items that are worn out, stretched out, no longer fit, or just aren’t your favorite.

BONUS POINTS – Try everything on.  It’s hands down the best way to figure out what you still like and what you don’t.  If you need a shortcut, set aside the items you wear all the time and just try on the items you are unusure about or haven’t worn in a while.

It’s amazing how much information you get from trying something on.  You are instantly confronted with how an item fits and feels and it’s much easier to let something go when you realize that you don’t feel great when you put it on.

wedge shoes in a clear bin

Once you’ve reduced your items down to just the things you love, it’s time to figure out a way to store them.  Consider how many of each item you have and designate a place to store them. 

I like to space plan by drawing out the closet on paper and trying different storage options.  This helps me figure out the best way to use all the available space in my closet, including the floor and the shelf.   

Tip #2 – Look down!

The floor space in your closet is incredibly valuable and should not be a place where things are shoved, like piles of shoes, garbage sacks full of clothes for donation, or extra bags.

Depending on your storage needs, I like to fill the space with something that will give me added storage, like a cube organizer, a shoe cubby, or a dresser. 

organized closet floor

If you have a lot of shoes, I really like the shoe cubbies from Closetmaid.  They come in a few different sizes and you can fit quite a few pairs (even more if you double up thinner shoes in one cubby). 

Tip #3 – Look up!

Now, look at the top shelf.  Are you using this space effectively?  While it is slightly less convenient to reach up for items, this shelf is perfect for stacks of jeans, sweaters, or bins of seasonal items.  Freestanding storage cubes or shelves can help break up this towering expanse of space and make the whole closet more functional.  

In my closet, I needed a way to store sweaters and off-season clothing.  I measured the space and then searched Amazon for a shelf unit that would fill the space between the shelf and the ceiling.  This one fits a plastic storage basket and keeps the sweaters neatly stacked in the other. 

Every closet is a different size, so make sure to measure the space you have and look for solutions that will fit.  

Organized closet shelf with sweaters and shoes

I even had a bit of room left to the side where I was able to  stack a few clear shoe bins to store high heels (which let’s face it, aren’t getting the most use these days.) This freed up slots in my shoe cubby for everyday shoes that I wear more frequently.  

Tip #4 – Consider hanging baskets

Do you have any empty areas in your closet?  Even if you only have a couple of inches, you can hang a small basket or tray using Command Hooks.  These small but mighty baskets can be the perfect place to store all the little items (like sunglasses, belts, and scarves) that often get lost in a closet. 

If you have space for a slightly larger basket, you could store workout gear or T-shirts.  The flexibility of the command strips means that you can remove these baskets anytime you need to change up your space.  

I found my grey plastic bins at Dollar Tree, but similar wire baskets made of metal can be found on Amazon.

command hook hanging basket

Tip #5 – Invest in matching hangers

If you can only afford one upgrade to your closet, make it matching hangers.  This one simple change will elevate the look and feel of your entire space, no matter the size.  I like slim velvet hangers for the space savings in my small closet, but any matching type will do. 

Not only do they help your clothes hang together better, they reduce visual clutter and make the entire space look finished.  

matching hangers in an organized closet

I like to space my hangers 1-2 fingers width apart.  This seems like a minor change but it actually makes a huge difference in the way your clothes hang.  It leaves a bit of space so your clothes can breathe, prevent wrinkles, and helps you “see” all your items.

Tip #6 – Organize your hanging items by type or color

There are two ways I like to organize hanging items: 1) by color 2) by type.  It’s 100% personal preference and should be based on how you think about your clothes and how you get dressed in the morning.  

If you like to think about color when you get dressed, consider placing all similar tones together.  Regardless of the shape, you can create a color gradient that is visually pleasing, like ROYGBIV order or in my case, black-grey-white.

hanging clothes in a closet

If you like to put together your outfits based on individual pieces or formulas, you might prefer grouping by type.  Placing like items together (t-shirts, long sleeve shirts, sweaters, jackets, and pants) will make it easy to find just what you need in any weather. 

Tip #7 – Hooks are your friend

My last tip is to use hooks anywhere you have space to hang things.  If you don’t feel like drilling a hole, Command hooks make it simple and quick to hang (and remove!)  They are perfect for the sides of your closet or the back of the door and can be used to hang anything from hats to purses to jewelry or scarves.  It’s the perfect way to use that vertical space that may otherwise go unused.  

purse and hat hung on back of closet door

Finally, remember that small closets will always be a challenge.  You can’t rely on extra space to store items “just in case”.  But with a bit of creativity and organization, your closet can become a space to showcase your favorite items and make you feel excited every time you open the closet door.

If you need further proof that small closets can be functional and beautiful, here’s a 30-second video of my closet organization in action.  

@smallishhome

Organizing a tiny closet! #homeorganization #organizingtips #closetorganization #smallspace #organizing

♬ Welcome To New York – Taylor Swift

And if you want to see more videos like this, be sure to follow me on Tiktok and Instagram where I post organizational videos weekly.  

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clothes organization shoes small closet

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Hi! I’m Lisa and I dig smallish homes. I believe they bring families together and provide a constraint on the accumulation of stuff. I’m obsessed with rethinking room design and storage solutions in order to live the life I want in the house I have. I hope you stay a while!
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Only three more sleeps until Christmas and I’ve Only three more sleeps until Christmas and I’ve literally just crossed the last thing off my to-do list.  All the planning, shopping and prep work is done and I’m ready to enjoy the next few days.  If you need me I’ll be eating a gingerbread cookie (or two) while drinking cup after cup of coffee.

Before I go, I wanted to share a few pictures of our minimalist holiday decorations in our living room/ dining room. 

This year we tried something different and cut our own mountain grown tree and I’m LOVING the change.  Even though it’s real skinny, it has the nicest placement of branches and is truly a beautiful tree.

The delicate branches can’t hold heavy lights or ornaments, so I reused the white crocheted snowflakes  and matte black balls from last year, along with a single string of copper LED lights.  So simple, so easy, but still beautiful.  Just what I needed this year.

Wishing you a very happy holiday!
The crows are back! The best decorations are the o The crows are back!
The best decorations are the ones you are  EXCITED to see each year. The ones you instantly pull from the box and start placing in your home. They don’t need to be fancy, or new each year. They just need to bring joy to you and your family. ✨❤️
Surprise! We bought a new home!  And sold our ho Surprise!

We bought a new home!  And sold our home!  It’s been a whirlwind and I’m exhausted.

We are incredibly lucky to have bought our neighbor’s home FSBO.  It’s larger than our current home by ~700 square feet and is a split entry home with most of the living space upstairs and a bonus family room/bedroom in the basement.  

While the rooms (and closets!) are still small, there are more of them.  There will be room for office space for both my husband and myself, a bit more storage, and even a laundry room/mudroom (woo hoo! No more garage laundry for me!)

So what do you think? Do I need to change my name from smallishhome to sortofmidsizehome?  No matter what, I’ll continue to share how I maximize storage in small spaces, because, well, that’s my life and my passion!  

Be sure to check out my stories for a walk through of the new house.  Don’t miss the avocado green tub and original 1960’s kitchen cabinets. So many projects ahead of us!
Hey there! It’s been a while! I’ve had a lot Hey there! It’s been a while!

I’ve had a lot on my plate personally these last few weeks and have had to drop all social media as a way to stay sane and focused on the path ahead.  I love this community, but I just couldn’t give it the time it deserved, so I took a break.  Hopefully you understand. 

I’m trying to ramp back up but could use your help.  What spaces are you having trouble organizing?  What kind of videos would you like to see?  I appreciate each and every one of you and love hearing your suggestions.  It’s what keeps me going when I start to feel stuck!

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Only three more sleeps until Christmas and I’ve Only three more sleeps until Christmas and I’ve literally just crossed the last thing off my to-do list.  All the planning, shopping and prep work is done and I’m ready to enjoy the next few days.  If you need me I’ll be eating a gingerbread cookie (or two) while drinking cup after cup of coffee.

Before I go, I wanted to share a few pictures of our minimalist holiday decorations in our living room/ dining room. 

This year we tried something different and cut our own mountain grown tree and I’m LOVING the change.  Even though it’s real skinny, it has the nicest placement of branches and is truly a beautiful tree.

The delicate branches can’t hold heavy lights or ornaments, so I reused the white crocheted snowflakes  and matte black balls from last year, along with a single string of copper LED lights.  So simple, so easy, but still beautiful.  Just what I needed this year.

Wishing you a very happy holiday!
The crows are back! The best decorations are the o The crows are back!
The best decorations are the ones you are  EXCITED to see each year. The ones you instantly pull from the box and start placing in your home. They don’t need to be fancy, or new each year. They just need to bring joy to you and your family. ✨❤️
Surprise! We bought a new home!  And sold our ho Surprise!

We bought a new home!  And sold our home!  It’s been a whirlwind and I’m exhausted.

We are incredibly lucky to have bought our neighbor’s home FSBO.  It’s larger than our current home by ~700 square feet and is a split entry home with most of the living space upstairs and a bonus family room/bedroom in the basement.  

While the rooms (and closets!) are still small, there are more of them.  There will be room for office space for both my husband and myself, a bit more storage, and even a laundry room/mudroom (woo hoo! No more garage laundry for me!)

So what do you think? Do I need to change my name from smallishhome to sortofmidsizehome?  No matter what, I’ll continue to share how I maximize storage in small spaces, because, well, that’s my life and my passion!  

Be sure to check out my stories for a walk through of the new house.  Don’t miss the avocado green tub and original 1960’s kitchen cabinets. So many projects ahead of us!
Hey there! It’s been a while! I’ve had a lot Hey there! It’s been a while!

I’ve had a lot on my plate personally these last few weeks and have had to drop all social media as a way to stay sane and focused on the path ahead.  I love this community, but I just couldn’t give it the time it deserved, so I took a break.  Hopefully you understand. 

I’m trying to ramp back up but could use your help.  What spaces are you having trouble organizing?  What kind of videos would you like to see?  I appreciate each and every one of you and love hearing your suggestions.  It’s what keeps me going when I start to feel stuck!
⁣I woke up today and saw it - 10K. I’m in sho ⁣I woke up today and saw it - 10K.  I’m in shock. ⠀
⠀
I’m so grateful for each and every one of you who chose to follow my account and watch me organize my smallish home. ⠀
⠀
My goal has always been to share my love of organization and design - while hopefully inspiring others to show their own home some love. ⠀
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No matter how small or large your space may be, I hope you are able to walk away with a few ideas of ways to maximize the space you have.⠀
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In the meantime, I’ll keep working space by space in my own home, adding functionality and order that fits the needs of my family and the space that I have.⠀
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I’d love to know what you would all like to see more of - let me know in the comments what you’d like to see me tackle next!⠀
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#10k #10kfollowers #organizationmotivation #motivation #simplifylife #simplify #organizedmom #organizing #homeorganization #declutter #diyorganizer #diyorganization #smallhomeliving #getorganized #stayorganized #letsgetorganized  #tidyhome #mysmallishhome #lessismore
⁣It’s a rainy Monday here and all I want to do ⁣It’s a rainy Monday here and all I want to do is drink mugs of hot tea nonstop.  But tea can be a tricky item to store!⠀
⠀
When it’s in the box, you never know how many tea bags are left.  But take them out of the box and they slide all over the shelf!⠀
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Using some sort of small, clear, lidded container keeps the bags together and helps you see when it’s time to restock.  Bonus points if the containers can stack, allowing you to store multiple varieties in a small space. ⠀
⠀
These containers are from Target, but any food storage container will work. Even the cheap plastic food storage containers from the grocery store. ⠀
⠀
What is your favorite variety of tea?  I’m a big fan of English Breakfast if I need a little caffeine boost (which I’m definitely in need of today!)
⁣Do you ever have weeks where you just can’t g ⁣Do you ever have weeks where you just can’t get back on track?⠀
⠀
Where you feel tired, and all you see is work that needs to get done?⠀
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It can be hard to figure out where to start.⠀
⠀
I’ve been struggling to get myself moving the last few weeks after experiencing a family emergency that knocked the wind out of my sails. ⠀
⠀
But I know it’s time to turn things around.  Here are my go-to steps for getting back on track: ⠀
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1️⃣Get those machines working for me.  I always get the dishwasher running and then start a load of laundry.  It makes me feel productive and gets the momentum going for the rest of the day.⠀
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2️⃣Grab a pen and a notebook, plus either a glass of water or a cup of coffee, and sit down.⠀
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3️⃣Take everything in my head and write it down.  Everything that needs to be done, everything that needs to be bought, every card that needs to be written, bills that need to be paid, people I need to message back.  I write it down so it isn’t in my head.⠀
 ⠀
4️⃣Circle one thing that I can do now and finish.  Maybe I only have 10 minutes, but in those 10 minutes I can pick up a room, put away laundry, or go through a stack of paperwork.  Anything that will make progress on my list but Isn’t too big of a project that I can’t finish.⠀
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5️⃣Once I’ve done just one thing, I try to reward myself with some sort of self care.  It can be anything that makes me feel good - going for a walk, stopping in at a store, looking at a magazine, or maybe just scrolling on my phone for a few minutes.⠀
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6️⃣Then, I look back at my list and prioritize in order of importance.  I’ll choose the task with the highest priority and start working down. ⠀
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While this process works, it sometimes takes a few days.  I just keep repeating it over and over until things start clicking again. ⠀
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Getting outside helps too.  Fresh air and movement seem to do a world of good.⠀
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How have you been feeling lately?  Are you crushing that to-do list or are you feeling like you need like 3 clones of yourself in order to get it all done?⠀
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Photo by @callimechemphotography

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